Mar 23, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2020
USCIRF Deplores Houthi Order to Execute Hamid bin Haydara and Dissolve Baha’i Institutions in Yemen
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) decries Sunday’s verdict by a Houthi Appeals court that re-affirms a death sentence against Yemeni Baha’i leader and USCIRF religious prisoner of conscience Hamid bin Haydara. The court also upheld a decision ordering the dissolution of Baha’i institutions in Yemen.
“Houthi authorities must immediately release Hamid bin Haydara and cease their persecution of Baha’is,” said USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore who advocates for Mr. bin Haydara as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. “We condemn this verdict and urge Democrats and Republicans to press the Houthis to release Mr. bin Haydara and drop the spurious charges against members of Yemen’s Baha’i community.”
On December 3, 2013, Houthi authorities arrested and detained bin Haydara, holding him without charges in a prison for more than a year. In January 2015, he was charged falsely with spying for Israel, teaching literacy classes deemed incompatible with Islam, and attempting to convert Muslims. A judge sentenced bin Haydara to death on January 2, 2018 and ordered the closure of Baha’i institutions. After a series of hearings and delayed rulings throughout 2019, a Houthi appeals court upheld this verdict on March 22, 2020. Twenty-four other members of Yemen’s Baha’i community face charges as well, some of which carry a penalty of capital punishment.
“This alarming decision is an egregious violation of religious freedom and the fundamental rights of Yemeni Baha’is,” stated USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin. “USCIRF has been long concerned with the welfare of Mr. bin Haydara and the Yemeni Baha’i community. We call on Houthi authorities to immediately reverse this verdict and cease their baseless persecution of this peaceful religious minority.”
USCIRF recommended the Houthis as an entity of particular concern (EPC) in its 2019 Annual Report.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected].
Gender: Male
Current Location: Hebei Prison
Perpetrator: China
Religion or Belief: Christian – Church of Almighty God
Reports of Torture: Yes
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: December/4/2017
Date of Sentencing: July/21/2018
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Distributing Religious Materials Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Cult
Yu Hai
Extra Bio Info:
Yu Hai is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On December 4, 2017, officers from the National Security Brigade of Chengde City Public Security Bureau detained Yu in the Shuangqiao district of Chengde reportedly in relation to his religious belief and for distributing and being in possession of religious materials. Yu was reportedly tortured while detained.
On July 21, 2018, the Shuangqiao District People’s Court of Chengde City sentenced Yu to seven years and six months in prison for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).
On November 26, 2018, the Chengde Intermediate People’s Court rejected Yu's appeal.
Yu is believed to be serving his sentence in No.4 Prison of the Jidong Branch of the Hebei Prison Administration.
Publicly Available Information:
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China Prisoners Database Details: YU Hai Human Rights Without Frontiers
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"Cases of Arbitrary Arrest and Detention of CAG Christians by CCP" Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Religious Freedom
Gender: Female
Current Location: Women’s Sub-Prison of Changzhou Prison, Jiangsu
Perpetrator: China
Ethnic Group: Han
Religion or Belief: Christian – Church of Almighty God
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 7 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: August/30/2017
Date of Sentencing: November/5/2018
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Cult
Zhu Youjuan
Extra Bio Info:
Zhu Youjuan is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.
On August 30, 2017, authorities detained Zhu reportedly in relation to her religious beliefs.
On November 5, 2018, Xuzhou Gulou District People’s Court sentenced Zhu to seven years and six months in prison and fined her 18,000 yuan for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).
Zhu is believed to be serving her sentence in the Women’s Sub-Prison of Changzhou Prison in Jiangsu province.
Publicly Available Information:
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China Prisoners Database Details: ZHU Youjuan Human Rights Without Frontiers
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"Cases of Arbitrary Arrest and Detention of CAG Christians by CCP" Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Religious Freedom